Ringing bell device for christmas trees and other uses



July 1 8, 1950 F BRONSON 1 RINGING BELL DEVICE FOR CHRISTMAS TREES AND OTHER USES Filed Aug. 6, 1949 ATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1950 RINGING BELL DEVICE FOR CHRISTMAS TREES AND OTHER USES Frederic L. Bronson, Copiague, N. Y., assignor to Criterion Bell & Specialty Co., Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 6, 1949, Serial No. 108,901

Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in ringing bell devices for Christmas trees and for other uses, particularly at parties.

Heretofore, it has been customary to ornament Christmas trees with small bells, each one of which was associated with a solenoid for ringing it. However, the use of a separate solenoid for each bell is relativelyexpensive, and moreover, quite objectionable for the reason that each solenoid when operating has a hum, and collectively produces a good deal of noise.

This invention particularly proposes a new arrangement by which a plurality of bells may be conveniently supported on a Christmas tree, or other object, and may be simultaneously rung with one solenoid, or motor, or other operating device.

Particularly, it is proposed that an elastic member, such as a coil spring, be attached at its top portion to a top portion of a Christmas tree, or other point of support. A ribbon is connected with and depends from this elastic member, and. a plurality of bells are mounted at spaced positions upon said ribbon. An important object of this invention resides in connecting a cord with a bottom portion of said elastic member and extending the cord downwards so that the cord may be periodically pulled downwards and released for shaking the ribbon and in this way ringing the A bells. Means is associated with the cord for periodically drawing said cord down and then releasing the cord so that said elastic member may draw said cord upwards, when released, for shaking said ribbon and so ringing the bells.

Another object of this invention resides in associating a hook with the means for periodically drawing said cord downwards in such a way that the cord may be engaged upon the hook to disclose interior parts.

in various drawn positions to stretch the elastic member to different degrees of tension and in this way control the loudness and softness of the ringing of the bells. It is proposed that the hook be-associated with reciprocating means by which the hook is reciprocated and in this way pulls downward and releases the cord.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a device as described which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims inwhich the .various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a modification of the invention.

The ringing bell device for Christmas trees and other uses, in accordance with this invention, includes an elastic member ID attached at its top end upon one of the branches l I of a Christmas tree I2 or other supporting member. A ribbon I3 is connected with and depends from said elastic member ID and extends downwards along the sides of the Christmas tree. A plurality of bells I4 are mounted at spaced positions upon the ribbon l3. A cord l5 connects with the bottom portion of the elastic member In and ex- 1 tends downwards in order that the elastic member I!) may be pulled downwards and released for shaking said ribbon l3 and in this way ringing the bells M. The cord I5 is connected with means 16 mounted at the base of the Christmas tree l2 for periodically drawing said cord l5 down and then releasing said cord l5 in order; that said elastic member ID may draw said cord l5 upwards for shaking said ribbon [3 so as to ring the bells I4.

The elastic member I0 is shown to comprise a helical spring. Said elastic member [0 is attached to the limb I l of the tree [2 with a string H. The ribbon l3 may be of cloth, or of braided material, or other material upon which the bells I4 may be readily mounted and removed. The bells l4 have the usual clappers I8 so that when the bells are shaken the clappers will strike the bell bodies and produce the ringing sound. Each bell I4 is provided with a top hook l9 by which" it is mounted upon the ribbon l3.

Said means l6 for periodically drawing said cord 15 down, and releasing the cord l5' comprises a casing 20 in which a solenoid 21 is mounted. This solenoid 2| includes a coil 22 and a movable core 23. Thefmovable core 23- connects with and supports a hook 24. A collar 25 is mounted upon the inner end of the hook 24 and engages a boss 26 formed upon the bottom face of the top wall of. the casing 29 for limiting upward motion of the hook 24.

A bracket 2'l is physically attached to the coil 22. A lever 28 is pivotally connected with the bracket 2'! at one end, and is pivotally connected at its other end with the bottom portion of the hook 24. A mercury switch 29 is mounted on the lever 28. When the core 23 of the solenoid 2| is in its raised position, the mercury switch 29 tilts, as illustrated in Fig. 4, so that the mercury 39 thereof engages across the terminals of the switch for closing an electric circuit 3|. Said electric circuit 3I connects the mercury switch 29 and the coil 22 in series. The bottom end portion of the cord I5 is clamped in position by the hook 24. The cord I5 may be pulled out and clamped in selected positions so as to stretch the elastic member III to predetermined amounts.

The ribbon I3 is illustrated attached at its center to the bottomof the elastic member II]. The side portions of the ribbon I3 extend down- Wards, and the bottom ends of the ribbon I3 are connected with the branches 32 of the Christmas tree I2 in' order that the bottom ends of the ribbon [3 are resiliently supported and the sides of the ribbon curve upwards so that the ribbon I3 may easily move upwards and downwards during the bellringing operation.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When current flows in the circuit 3|, the solenoid 2i becomes energized so that its core 32 moves downwards pulling the cord I5 downwards and stretching the elastic member Ii]. When the core 23 reaches its down position, the lever 28 is moved to tilt downwards, tilting the mercury switch 29 downwards so that the mercury 39 thereof flows to the other end of the switch tube, breaking the circuit between the terminals of said mercury switch 29. Current then ceases to flow to the solenoid 2i so that the core 23 becomes de-magnetized and the elastic member ID moves the cord I5, the hook 24, and the core 23 of the solenoid 2| upwards. In the up position, themercury switch 29 again closes, and the operation repeats. In this way the cord I5 is pulled and released, stretching the elastic member I and causing the ribbon I3 to be shaken so as to ring the bells I4. The loudness of the ringing bells may be controlled by engaging the bottom portion of the cord I in difierent positions upon the hook 24 soas to cause the elastic member II] to be initially stretched to gore-selected tensions.

In Fig. 5 a modified form of the means for periodically drawing the cord I5 down and releasing said cord has been shown. This means is generally indicated by reference numeral I6. It comprises a casing 20' housing an electric motor 32 driving a disc 33to which a vertical hook 24' is eccentrically connected. This hook 24' connects with said cord I5. -When the electric motor 32 operates the disc 33revolves causing the hook 2 4 to reciprocate vertically, which in turn pulls and releases the cord I5 so as to ring the bells The cord I5 may be connected with the book '24 at diiferent positions so as to control the loudness of ringing in a manner similar to that described in the preferred form of the invention.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A ringing bell device for Christmas trees, and other uses, comprising an elastic member for attachment at its top upon the top portion of a Christmas tree, a ribbon connected with and depending from said elastic member for extending down the side of said Christmas tree, bells mounted at spaced positions upon said ribbon, a cord connected with a bottom portion of said elastic member and extending downwards by which said elastic member may be pulled downwards and released for shaking said ribbon so as to ring said bells, and means for periodically drawing said cord down and then releasing said cord in order that said elastic member may draw said cord upwards for shaking said ribbon so as to ring said bells. p

2. A ringing bell device for Christmas trees, and other uses, comprising an elastic member for attachment at its top'upon the top portion of a Christmas tree, a ribbon connected at its center said elastic member and extending downwards by with and depending from said elastic member for extending down the sides of said Christmas tree, bells mounted at spaced positions upon said ribbon 'a cord connected with a bottom portion of which said elastic member may be pulled downwards and released for shaking said ribbon so as to ring said bells, and means for periodically drawing said cord down and then releasing said cord in order that said elastic member may draw said cord upwards for shaking said ribbon so as to ring said bells.

'3. A-ringing bell device for Christmas trees, and other uses, comprising an elastic member for attachment at its top upon the top portion of a Christmas tree, a ribbon connected at its center with and depending from said elastic member for extending down the sides of said Christmas tree, bells mounted at spaced positions upon said ribbon, a cord connected with a bottom portion of said elastic member and extending downwards by which said elastic member may be pulled downwards and released for shaking said ribbon So as to ring said bells, means for periodically drawing said cord down and then releasing said cord in order that said elastic member may draw said cord upwards for shaking said ribbon so as to ring said bells, and means for resiliently supporting the bottom ends of said ribbon in spaced positions so that the sides of said ribbon curve upwards.

4. A ringing bell device for Christmas trees, and other uses, comprising an elastic member for attachment at itstop upon thetop portion of a Christmas tree, a ribbon connected at its center with and depending from said elastic member for extending down the sides of said Christmas tree, bells mounted at spaced positions upon said ribbon, a cord connected with a bottom portion of said elastic member and extending downwards by which said elastic member may be pulled downwards and released for shaking said ribbon so as to ring said bells, means for periodically drawing said cord down and then releasing said cord in order that said elastic member may draw said cord upwards for shaking said ribbon so as to ring said bells, and means for resiliently supporting the bottom ends of said ribbon in spacedpositions so that the sides of said ribbon curve upwards, said cord extending downwards centrally of the side portions of said ribbon.

5. A ringing bell device for Christmas trees, and other uses, comprising an elastic member for attachment at its top upon the top portion of a Christmas tree, a ribbon connected with and depending from said elastic member for extending down the side of said Christmas tree, bells mounted at spaced positions upon said ribbon, a cord connected with a bottom portion of said elastic member and extending downwards by which said elastic member may be pulled downwards and released for shaking said ribbon so as to ring said No references cited. 

